For many years we’ve had corn heads designed to accommodate only the row spacing you’ve chosen to plant. And these headers may or may not have done the best job handling the stout corn hybrids we have today, which affects the residue situation no-tillers must deal with the following year.

But now, there are many new technologies emerging in the marketplace. The types of headers available include traditional fixed-row headers with standard rolls or chopping rolls; fixed-row headers with disc choppers or rotary choppers under the rolls; and even variable-row headers that actually cut off the stalk and then feed them through the rolls.

A new product from Grain Bags Canada, the MDD-100, is variable row and allows stalks to flex and be moved to rolls on 21-inch spacing, giving you an option to harvest at any row spacing. This new header has a totally different design in that it doesn’t cut off the stalks, but guides them into the stalk rolls. The stalk is still attached to the soil, so it can’t wash away in heavy spring storms.

This design might be a good fit, especially if you’re doing custom work and need to handle different row widths.

But overall, when choosing a new header, no-tillers still need to think about what they want to accomplish with residue. As harvest operations begin this fall, it’s a good time to evaluate your corn header and decide if the technology is working for you, or if it’s time to look for…